Pendulum catch for timekeepers, particularly for clocks



March 17, 1953 o. BRAITSCH ETAL PENDULUM CATCH FOR TIMEKEEPERS, PARTICULARLY FOR CLOCKS Filed Oct. 17, 1951 FIG.1.

LI/ENTOKS (97-70 61? Patented Mar. 17, 1953 PENDULUM CATCH FOP. TIMEKEEPERS, PARTICULARLY FOB CLOCKS Otto Braitsch and Anton Haas, Schramberg/Wurttenberg, Germany, assignors to Gebriider Junghans, A. G., Schramberg, Germany, a. corporation of Germany Application October 17, 1951, Serial No. 251,748 In Germany March 21, 1949 11 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to pendulum catches for timekeepers and more particularly relates to pendulum catches for clocks. In a conventional type of clocks the pendulum catch can be actuated from the front side of the clock through intermediate members that are retained in their terminal position by a notch. The tension of the notch spring in securing or releasing, however, required comparatively much energy and was noisy to such a degree that any lay person might be afraid he had damaged the clock in actuating the catch.

It is the purpose of the present invention to improve the pendulum-catches of the abovementioned type with the result that they operate softly, noiselessly and with little expenditure of energy. To this end a toggle link is interposed between the operating member and the pendulum catch, having a stop link actuated immediately after passing the extended position of the toggle link, and a spring means is provided permitting pressing down of the link after establishing actual physical contact between the catch and the pendulum. Such a pendulum catch may include an additional spring tending to move the catch into the opening position. Said spring itself tends to keep the link in a depressed locking position. According to an additional characteristic of the invention, a second articulated stop can be provided for the purpose of limiting the opening position of the catch. Preferably one of the toggles is rotatably mounted on a stem of the timekeeper, carrying a slotted box which fits into the winding hole and can be turned with a keylike instrument; this arrangement in itself is well-known, having been employed in earlier types of pendulum catches by the inventor. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the levershaped pendulum catch is mounted in a known manner between the movement plates of the clock, while the toggle levers are disposed on the front, preferably on the front of the clock, and the toggle lever engaging the catch is easily detachable and connected with the catch, preferably by means of head pins and slits.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention result from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and from the accompanying drawing. omitting those parts that are not necessary for the explanation of the invention, the drawing shows in Figure l a front View of a clock movement, the dial being removed and the pendulum secured;

Figure 2 a side view of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 a View similar to Figure 1 with the catch open.

The clock movement as illustrated by the drawing is a so-called short pendulum clock driven by a spring, such as is used e. g. in kitchen clocks, round clocks for oflices. 1 indicates the front plate, 2 the back plate of the movement. On the back of the plate 2 the pendulum 3 with the pendulum bob 3a is swingably mounted. A double-armed lever 5 is rotatably mounted between the plates l and 2. A spring 6 wound about the axle i tends to move the lever 5 into the opening position (Figure 3). The lever 5 has two arms, of which the arm 5a is provided with a bifurcated end at 5b, which can be moved in the plane of oscillation and approached to the pendulum bob 3a in order to engage it and press it against a fixed support I. ihe support 1 (Figure 2) is fixed on the back plate 2 and troughshaped so that the pendulum-bob with its edges can be acccnmodated therein.

On the short arm 59 of the lever 5 is fixed a head pin 3 to the first toggle lever 9 is connected. This lever 9 is connected to the second toggle lever i through the pin Hi, the lever it Bein rotatably mounted on the stem 12. Fixed on the lever H is the slotted box i3; through the slits Eta noses fixed in a known manner on the winding key can be introduced for the purpose of turning the box and actuating the catch.

As shown Figure 3, the toggle 9, M, H is broken when the pendulum is released; a stop He provided on the lever it limits the opening of the lever 5 being actuated by the preloaded spring 6.

For the purpose of securing the pendulum 1 key not shown) inserted in the slotted box [3, in the present case in clockwise direction. The toggle point it approaches the extended position, the lever being turned towards the hand, the fork 5b engaging the pendulum bob 3a and approaching it to the fixed support I. The lever 5 and the pendulum bob 3a are in close contact (form grip) when in catch position, before the toggle point it reaches the extended position of the knee-joint. The point it} passes the extended pos' ion until it reaches the terminal position as shown Figure 1, the grip lever 5 or other suitable parts of the pendulum catch acting hereby as springs, with the result that in the terminal position a reliable catch of the pendulum is ensured also when said springs are partially unloaded. The stop Hb fixed on the (F gure 3), the lever H is turned by means of a lever ii limits the deflection of the knee. The spiral spring 6 contributes to maintain the deflection of the knee joint.

In order to simplify the assemblage of the movement and the catch, an easily detachable connection is provided between the lever t and the short arm 50 of the lever 5, comprising a pin 1 8 on the lever 5 and a slit 9a in the lever, which is enlarged for the introduction of the pin head.

The arrangement described above operates softly due to the toggle arrangement and yet with a comparatively high catch effect so as to ensure a reliable pendulum catch during transportation of the clock; the noiseless mode of operation of the arrangement is a further advantage. The application of this pendulum catch is in no way limited to clocks for general uses, but can be employed in every kind of chronometric apparatus such as electric supply meters, electric and switching clocks and other applications.

What we claim is:

1. In a pendulum catch for timekeepers, in particular for clocks, having actuating means actuatable from the front part of the clock, the provision of a toggle link mechanism interposed between the actuating means and the pendulum catch, stop means limiting the movement of the toggle immediately after passing the extended position of the link, and spring means yieldably resisting movement of the link through its ex tended position after establishing physical con tact between the catch and pendulum.

2. A pendulum catch according to claim 1,

wherein the spring means tends to move the catch into the opening position.

3. A pendulum catch according to claim 2, comprising second stop means limiting the opening movement of the catch.

4. A pendulum catch according to claim 3, wherein one link of the toggle is rotatably mounted on a stem or the timekeeper and arranged to be turned in a known manner by means of a key-like instrument.

5. A pendulum catch according to claim 4.,

wherein the pendulum catch is shaped in a known manner as a lever and mounted between the movement plates of the timekeeper, while the toggle links are located outside of the movement, one of the links engaging the catch lever A. and being connected thereto by easily detachable means.

6. A pendulum catch according to claim 1, comprising second stop means limiting the open ing movement of the catch.

'7. A pendulum catch according to claim 6, wherein one link of the toggle is rotatably mounted on a stem of the timekeeper and arranged to be turned in a known manner by mean of a key-like instrument.

8. A pendulum catch according to claim 7, wherein the pendulum catch is shaped in a known manner as a lever and mounted between the movement plates of the timekeeper, while the toggle links are located outside of the movement, one or" the links engaging the catch lever and being connected thereto by easily detachable means.

9. A pendulum catch according to claim 1, wherein one link of the toggle is rotatably mounted on a stem of the timekeeper and arranged to be turned in a known manner by means of a key-like instrument.

10. A pendulum catch according to claim 9, wherein the pendulum catch is shaped in a known manner as a lever and mounted between the movement plates of the timekeeper, while the toggle links are located outside of the movement, one of the links engaging the catch lever and being connected thereto by easily detachable means.

11. A pendulum catch according to claim 1, wherein the pendulum catch is shaped in a known manner as a lever and mounted between the movement plates of the timekeeper, while the toggle links are located outside of the movement, one of the links engaging the catch lever and being connected thereto by easily detachable means.

OTTO BRAITSCH. ANTON HAAS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Junghans Nov. 29, 1938 Number 

